Kids I Once Knew
by TheBlaBla245
Summary: Rimmage Lytle, all he did was what was needed to survive but in the process, he didn't just lose his humanity, he lost who he was. This is the story of a District 6 victor who became known for his brutality. Earning the title of The Gladiator.
1. Chapter 1

Leave that fear behind.

As we watch childhood crimes.

The young begin the climb.

With the hopes of the home in hearts.

Sit and stew in numbing drool.

The eyes of forty-eight in bloodshot state.

Our minds infected with child's demise.

 _No, not my child._

We wash our filthy skin.

Not prying from the screens.

We weep, we scream, we break.

With each stab.

With each cannon.

We are destroyed.

We are turned to rubble.

Two will be spared.

Prized with a broken child in a spotless home.

A wrecked soul in warmful embrace.

And the process repeats.

We raise them for slaughter.

Our sons and daughters.

* * *

 **So got into this thing where I post a poem before each story. Anyways. About a year and a half ago (or is it 2 years) I wrote a story called Kids I Once knew and I really want to fix it up and do some drastic changes so I am redoing it! All of it!**

 **So hopefully you enjoy. Follow, fav, review, all that jazz.**


	2. Mornings

I wonder how many kids are waking up from nightmares today. All across the nation, sharing the same fear, the same agony that has been bestowed upon us. How many stayed up all night? I knew of some people who got physically sick from worrying so much about today. But it isn't like we can help it, we are all powerless. That powerless worry was the reason my mother miscarried with her first baby, least what the doctors here say.

I slide the blanket off of my body. It is a raggedy old thing that did little to help when winter hit. We usually had to light a fire in winter to keep us from freezing. I lean up, stretch, let out a yawn. The bed across from me is empty. I remember my sister, Valance, started having bad dreams about the games and couldn't sleep. Last I saw, she went to keep mom company.

I slip on a pair of pants with the shirt I wore yesterday and head to the main room. Our house consists of four rooms. The main room which we use to do everything from cooking food to watching the broadcasts of the Capitol, the bathroom, and then the two bedrooms. I think one of the bedrooms is supposed to be a closet but it was big enough to fit a small bed so mom uses it to sleep.

I think the reason she is so adamant about staying in that room was because of her addiction. Almost half of the citizens in District 6 have some sort of addiction but morphling was the go-to drug. Years ago, when my parents were just babies, there was a massive explosion in one of the hubs. Tons of people got killed and even more got injured and so the Capitol had to send doctors and medicine to help. Usually, they just leave us to fend for ourselves but when over 15,000 people get injured, they knew even we were ill-equipped for it. Morphling was so widely used that thousands got addicted to it in the first few days. Someone learned how to make it, then more, and it continued to snowball. Most people blame the Capitol now for how severe the morphling addiction is now but not like they will fix it.

Around the time my mother miscarried with her first child is when she started using. I heard she was gorgeous before then. Most of the men tried to compete for her hand, least so I hear. The drug has stolen that from her. Her face is sunken in and pale, her blonde hair chopped short and messy, and she looks twenty pounds underweight.

I find my mother in the kitchen of the main room. Her toothpick thin fingers carefully slice a loaf of bread into pieces, spreading jam made from wild berries onto each slice. This was the tradition every Reaping Day. Mom would make as good of a breakfast as she could. This morning, bread with jam, hot grain with grounded nuts, and fresh goats milk make up our breakfast.

"Milk?" I ask as I sit at the small wooden table.

"Valance," Mom says in her raspy voice, "she went out and got some."

"With what?"

"Money," Valance enters the room, saying almost as if it should be obvious despite the fact we are broke.

The silence doesn't seem enough to make her realize that I am wondering where this money came from so I ask.

"Mom sold some of her wood carvings and got enough coins to trade for milk," Valance says as she bites into a slice of bread.

I let out a awe and get up, wrapping my arms around my mom and give her a hug. Oh, how must we look so opposite together. Everyone tells me I take after my father, who left when I was 10. Dark brown hair that is cut short and extended into a stubble along my jawline, my hazel eyes, tanned skin – though that was more from being outdoors rather than genetics – was all traits my father had passed onto my sister and I. My brother took after my mothers look. Their blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin. It was like day and night, the lot of us.

After the hug, I sit back at the table and dig into my breakfast. The grain is bland like always but that is because it is tesserae bread. Rough ground grain and oil were given to people in exchange for putting their names in more times. My brother, Alleron and I alternate taking tessera every year. Every tessera you take, it is an extra time your name is placed in the bowl for Reaping. So instead of one of us just pilling our names in by taking tessera every year, we keep it low with him taking out four tessera – one for each member of our family – one year and me taking it the next.

I almost finished eating when Alleron walks in.

"What smells so good?" He gives mom a kiss on the cheek.

"Morning, hun," mom says as she gives him a hug.

Though Alleron did help out, he took more of his fair share of food. I watch as he piles his plate up and takes a seat at the table. Valance seems to have the same annoyance as I do cause she watches Alleron with such disgust that I am expecting her to reach over the table and slap him. I think the only thing that is stopping her is his size.

Alleron, thanks to his many meals, has built up quite a muscle mass. He had a healthy glow to him, not the starving cattle feel so many in this part of the district share. I always hear from my friends that my brother should volunteer for the games. "He'd win," they'd say, "it would almost be easy for him."

Yea, he'd win but only cause he got so healthy at the expense of my mother, Valance, and I. Mom babied him so much that whenever my sister or I tried to tell her how spoiled he is, she would brush it off or else be too high to really realize it.

"Had enough to eat?" Mom asks as she collects the empty plates from the table.

"Yes," I reply. Valance saying the same thing only a few seconds behind me.

Alleron lets out a belch for his response, refusing to excuse himself. How could someone be so impolite? I understand we aren't dinning in front of the president himself but to not apologize for an outburst like that seemed to be intentional or else a lack of common sense which I could see either being a valid reason for my brother.

I get up and wash the dishes well my brother goes out to gather some last minute morphling. He was an addict like my mother but nowhere near the severity. Mom retires into the den and goes to whittling a piece of wood, she might be drooling from so much drugs a lot of the time but she seemed to have a knack for creating interesting designs that even the richest in District 6 would want to buy. Valance clears the table. I finish, dry off my hands, and look at the time. The clock reading a few minutes past eleven. The Reaping doesn't start until one so I still had plenty of time.

"I'm going out," I say.

"Where to?" Mom asks.

I am usually an expert liar but never has she asked where I am going. The sudden surprise of the question has me thrown for a loop. I hesitate but then Valance picks up on this.

"Don't you remember mom?" She asks, "you gave that couple who hunts in the woods some money in exchange for two squirrels."

Mom seems to sit on this for awhile but of course, she doesn't remember cause it never happened. She doesn't question it though, there is a lot of things she doesn't remember thanks to the morphling. Valance shoots me a look as if to tell her I owe her own. To bring her back something in exchange for what she just did. Of course, she knew exactly where I was heading, she was the only one that knew.

District 6 is massive. I have seen most of the other districts from the Reapings or else videos of the victory tours each year and none seem to come close to the size of District 6. It would take someone fifteen hours just to walk from one end of the city to the other. The only reason I know that is cause I tried it once. The richer families and most of the shops lay closer to the centre of the town, where the Justice Building is located. The further you get from the centre, the poorer the houses get. The only exception to this is to the south of the District where the hubs and runways for the vehicles were. In order to allow the citizens to get to and from places without hiking for a whole day, we have built a train system that runs through the district continuously. Turning that fifteen hours into just four.

Our house lays on the outskirts of District 6. the only real upsides to living this far out is the people seemed friendlier and also we were only a block away from one of the train stations. Most people would also place the lack of loud noises as a pro but I liked the sounds of central District 6. The trains running, the people chattering, seemed lively to me.

I board the train. Usually, it would be full of people heading to work but today no one is in work outfits rather Reaping Day clothing. Families heading for an early start to the location where the Reaping would take place. I am surrounded by quiet murmurs and cries of kids whose first year it is being eligible for the Hunger Games.

I watch as the buildings go by, the train stopping at each station to pick up more people. Finally, it comes to a halt on an empty platform. Here, the people would empty out of the train to start their day at work but not a soul leaves, except one, me. I step onto the platform, slinging my bag over my shoulder, and head walking onto the hard-packed earth.

The hubs are lined in a straight line. Each of them equal size. These ones cover everything from citizen cars to armoured vehicles to trains. The ones that make hovercrafts are further down, in a more open space since we need ample room for the aircrafts.

I step to a massive dome-like building that is used to build the base of armoured trucks. This is the hub that I go to every few days to put in the time for work. It never seemed enough but it was a bit of extra money.

The gust of wind blows sand through the air, which is eerily quiet. For a moment I just stand in the silence but then there is the sound of the door creaking open. The signal. If I was caught in one of the hubs well they are closed, I'd get punished. So we had to work out a system so I knew it was safe to enter.

I walk forward, pushing the door open wider and walk inside. Once I enter the factory I am grabbed from behind, slammed up against the wall.

"What are you doing here?" The voice of a Peacekeeper emits from behind me.

He spins me around. His full body suit is sparkling clean, pure white except for the helmet which sports a black cover over the face. It made the peacekeepers look like aliens, unable to see their faces, just a hard white exterior.

I grab his helmet and pull it up over his face. His light, golden brown hair remains spiky despite the helmet, the hair continuing down onto his jawline in a clean stubble, and his blue eyes are mesmerizing. His face was fuller from not ever missing a meal, though he said he needs to cut back due to getting a husky body type which is not in fashion back at the Capitol. Markos smiles and plops a kiss on my lips.

"I've missed you," He says.

It was dangerous dating a peacekeeper. The consequences were severe since peacekeepers are forbidden to have any kind of relationship with people for 20 years, the length of their duty to the country. Even with that law, I am almost certain dating someone from one of the districts was a harsh consequence on its own but we were always friendly to one another.

It wasn't until the day I was beaten that we actually progressed to a relationship. I was heading home after a late shift at the hub when a group of addicts had jumped me, thinking I had morphling on me. I tried to fight back but it was useless, there was easily ten of them and only one of me. By the time they were done, I struggled to even breath. Markos was the one that found me in the rain. He brought me back in, helped me, and after that, we got closer.

We remained careful about it. Always meeting alone, acting normal around people, not mentioning it to anyone. Valance did find out a couple of months back. Markos had come to the back of our house to give me candy he had gotten from the Capitol and Valance seen our exchange. She would never say or do anything that would put me in jeopardy but of course, she bargained something for herself. Markos would bring her candy from the Capitol whenever he could and she would keep it quiet. Since then she has come with me to meet Markos twice and the two never stopped talking.

Markos guides me to the break room, specificity for peacekeepers. A nice open room that is well lit and clean. Five tables lay, each with six chairs. Even in the grubby greasy conditions of the hub, this room has a luxurious feel to it.

"Catch any criminals today?" I ask.

"Just one," he smiles and wraps his arm around me.

"I was just going to work."

"On Reaping day?" He asks.

"I'm a hard worker," I reply.

We sit at one of the tables. I lay my bag down and he opens the fridge to pull out a few containers. He has a few food items he brought from the Capitol or else from the peacekeeper quarters, a building meant for peacekeepers to live at well in districts. He gives me large chicken slices with a creamy spinach mixture in the middle along with a pile of peas and carrots with a transparent sauce over top, and a side dish that is made up of soft bread chunks, onions, cheese, and green vegetables and herbs.

I, on the other hand, have given him a good'ol District 6 breakfast. A bowl of soup my mom made from mushrooms and carrots from yesterday with a chunk of bread that was made from the tesserae grain and nuts with mashed berries smeared along the top.

I can see the hesitation on his face, people from the Capitol being used to flavour filled meals. The few times I have brought him food he has had trouble with it. Except for a small dessert, we call hulick, a mini cake made with honey, thin layers of bread, nuts, cinnamon, and sometimes berries. He couldn't get enough of it and has even given me money to get the ingredients to make more on some occasions.

Most people knew how to make hulick but they all had a special twist to them. Of course, I never had access to the recipe my mother had and she said it was a family secret that she would share when I gave her grandkids. So I had to get her to make it for me. She would always be confused when I would come home with arm full of ingredients asking for her to make it only to take most of the dessert and vanish. It had Markos almost begging to meet her.

I begin to scarf down the food he has brought me. The chicken with spinach mixture is juicy and packed with flavour well the weird bread mixture I was hesitant to try tastes like creamy chives. A good break from the normal, bland food that I am used to consuming.

Markos, on the other hand, is having troubles getting past the first bite of the soup.

"You eat this stuff?" He says in shock.

"Not all of us have the luxury of eating like the Capitol," I give a good-hearted grin.

I remember when he first saw where I lived, how I lived, what I ate. It was a culture shock to him. He could hardly speak. I guess in the Capitol they don't really show the life of the districts and most people just believe we have good living conditions and enough food to feed ourselves. When he saw the starving children though, that's when he was brought to tears. It changed my opinion on the people of the Capitol, that was for sure.

"But how can you eat this every day?" His Capitol accent making his struggles even more entertaining.

"It's what I'm used to."

I grab one of the chicken chunks and give it to him, along with some of the bread mixture.

"Nope," He pushes the offer back towards me, "I'm going to finish this."

"Oh, a true victor," I smile.

Just from those words, his expression goes dark. He's worried. I'm at risk of being chosen as tribute for the Hunger Games. A yearly event where the twelve districts of Panem send one boy and one girl to the Capitol to fight to the death on live television. He was worried when I was sixteen when we first started dating. He was one of those people that got physically sick from worrying so much. Now a year later, he has managed to control his feelings but still is fearful. It was only this year – well I'm seventeen – and then next year when I'm eighteen and I would be free from the Reapings for good.

"Hey, it's ok. I'm not going to be picked," I say.

"What if you are," Markos says.

"But I won't be."

"But if you are."

I have never really placed any thought into what would happen if I was picked. I should. Sure, it was always at the back of my mind but there were so many kids in District 6, thousands of them. The chances of me being chosen were next to none. That's the logic I always use whenever I start feeling panicked over the Reaping and having to play in the Hunger Games.

"If I am then I will win and guess what. If I win I get to go to the Capitol whenever I want and then you can show me around," I tell him.

He nods at this response, trying to conceal his worry.

We finish our food and then he pulls out oddly shaped buns topped with a light sugar, berries, and some kind of custard. We finish that, talk for a bit, by then it is noon. I say my goodbyes, give him a hug and then leave to home.


	3. The Doomed Two

When I return home I find everyone ready to go. Mom is in a form-fitting black dress. She wears it to every funeral but also to the Reaping. I guess for two kids it is pretty much a funeral. Valance is a bit more elegant in her dark blue and white dress that goes down to her knees. Alleron has a tight fitting long sleeved shirt with black pants and a belt that seems too small for his waist.

The trio sits at the table, talking about something I'm not sure of and eating the last of the loaf of bread.

"Where are the squirrels?" Mom asks.

"Didn't have any," I reply, "they said they would get them tomorrow and have an extra one for us."

There is no way mom will remember anything tomorrow. She might be able to abstain from morphling for us today, long enough that she is somewhat alive well we go to the Reaping but once that is over then all bets are off.

I slip some of the food Markos brought me to Valance well no one is looking. She gives a smile and covers it up under her dress.

I head to the bathroom to wash up. It is always best to look your best for the Reaping. I have seen kids who got selected and seemed filthy or wore ragged clothing. The commentators would always point it out and make some comment about how if they are unable to make themselves look presentable how they would be unable to be a proper victor. That alone would be enough for sponsors to pull away. I refused to me be like that if I was going to get picked I at least wanted to look good.

Hot water is a luxury for those who can afford it. We are not one of those people. I bath in cold water, scrubbing the dirt and filth from every inch of my body and even give my hair a good wash. I let it fall into its normal messy style and head to the bedroom to get dress. It's an outfit that Alleron's girlfriend at the time gifted him. Of course, he didn't like it and so it was given to me. A white button shirt with black pants. It is a bit baggy but it fits. I add my grey flat cap to complete the outfit and I am ready for the Reaping.

"I don't remember saying you could wear that," Alleron says.

"Oh leave it be," Mom slaps his forearm, "not like you will ever wear it."

"It's still mine," Alleron replies.

"And now it's his," Valance adds.

She will probably try squeezing an extra bit of food from me for that comment. We had each other's backs whenever but if she could get something out of it, she would go for it.

Alleron huffs at this and crosses his arms. He doesn't speak the rest of the time well we sit at the table and nibble on bread well talking about our days for the past week. The time comes for us to head to the Reaping.

Mom gives us all a big hug and places a few thin pieces of bread over the fire. These will cook and form thin crunchy shapes that we will bring to the celebration after the Reaping. A huge party where everyone praises how their children were spared for another year. It's a fun time where the rich and poor of District 6 come together. We all share food and drinks and everyone leaves with full bellies and smiles.

A lot of the other families are now heading to the hovercraft hub. Usually, the Reapings take place in the squares of each district but District 6's population was way too large for the kids to fit in the square so they moved it to the hovercraft hub. A large open area with flat asphalt. More than enough room for the district's children and some of its citizens. I've heard reports on the television that we were close to a million people in population. I didn't mind it. More people meant more kids, more kids meant more names to be drawn and that my family and I had a slim chance of being chosen.

I guess everyone who gets drawn from District 6 has the same mentality. That it is so slim for them to be chosen. But it really is, for you to even have a decent chance at being chosen in this district, you would need to have your name be put in hundreds of times.

The crowds file out of the train onto the platform that is station just outside the hub. The large steel and glass building has its double door gates wide open, showing the hovercrafts on each side. A stage has been constructed between the rows of hovercrafts with bright red banners and camera crews.

I can see the cameras as we walk into the area. Large towers set up where crew members stand in, a weird mechanical head and back piece on them which must be the cameras they use. They film the crowds of children as they walk in, the parents saying goodbye, the siblings holding onto one another.

"You three be good," Mom says as she gives us each a hug, "I'll find you after the Reaping."

"Okay, mom," Alleron gives her a kiss and walks off to sign in. This was Alleron's last year of being eligible for tribute so I could see why he was anxious to get it over with.

"And my other handsome boy," Mom brings me into a hug and kisses me on the cheek.

She then begins to make a comment to my sister and gives her a hug but my sister is wanting to get the whole ordeal over with. We walk together to sign in.

"You think dad will be here?" Valance asks.

The question takes me by surprise. We so rarely talked about our father after he left us. "He has to," I answer, "it is mandatory for the citizens to be gathered for the Reaping after all."

"Yea..."

I want to ask what brought on this curiosity about our father but I don't even want to get in it myself. I had a strong dislike for him for abandoning my mother with three children, to not even help her out when she needed it. He could get shot for all I cared.

We sign into the games and then are allowed to find our own places in the crowds. Most of the kids have already gathered here but we are among the stragglers. I give Valance a final hug, she wishes me luck and then goes off to the other fifteen-year-olds well I find my spot in those aged 17.

A few more people enter, finding spots to squeeze in and then the clock hits one. The Reaping begins with the escort strutting on stage. Elpis Grandle looks like someone threatening. Her electric blue hair was done so it stuck up and out in tangles, a fiery red dress around her body, and silver armbands on her forearms and biceps. She stands at the microphone.

"Welcome District 6," she says, "the time has come once more to select two brave and courageous young warriors to have the honour of representing this fine district in the 72nd Annual Hunger Games."

Elpis turns our attention to the two large screens where the film of why the Hunger Games are a thing begins to play. It talks about how there were the wars and disasters which destroyed most of the world but the survivors banded together and eventually, Panem was formed. How there was fourteen states, the 13 Districts and then the Capitol but eventually the districts rebelled. The 13th district being destroyed well the rest were left to suffer under the Treaty of Treason. An act that brought us the Hunger Games.

It was pretty simple. Every year, the 12 districts would send a boy and girl between the ages of Twelve and eighteen to be trapped in a massive arena where they would fight to the death until a lone victor remained. The person who won would be showered with gifts and the district as well.

The victors of District 6 are mentioned. Each standing on the stage where we clap. In seventy-two years of the games, we have managed to accumulate five victors. Three of which stand in morphling addicted states and look more like corpses than victors.

After all that is through, Elpis grins. "Happy Hunger Games," she says, "and may the odds be ever in your favour."

We are all supposed to clap at this but she gets maybe a few dozen people too.

"Ladies first," Elpis says.

She makes her way to the giant bowl of folded pieces of paper. Each piece holding the name of some kid who stands in the crowd, their heart pacing, their eyes focused. Even I am tense with anticipation. Valance could be chosen, though her name is only in four times. I have never had the tragedy of someone I loved being sent to the games but I have seen those who have.

Elpis digs into the bowl and plucks out a single piece of paper. She holds it to the air as she makes her way back to the microphone. She unfolds the piece of paper, announcing the name.

"Tansy Cornack."

There is a hush among the crowd as everyone leans to get a look at what girl was chosen. I let out a sigh of relief. Valance has made it through another year. I turn to catch a look at who the tribute is to find someone who is about as young as Valance. Fourteen maybe fifteen years of age. Long brown hair flowing in the wind. Her brown eyes focused on the stage. She sheds a few tears but her face seemed determined rather than scared. She's obviously good at keeping her expressions under control.

Tansy mounts the stage and stands next to Elpis who asks if there are any volunteers for her. Of course, no one raises their hand. Last year the male tribute from 6 was a volunteer and he ended up being stabbed so many times everyone lost count. It was enough to keep people from volunteering for a bit.

"And now for the male," Elpis says.

At the very sound of her words, my insides seem to twist. We all watch with pounding hearts as she dips her hand into the glass bowl and comes up with two pieces of paper.

"Oh," she mumbles and decides on a piece of paper, letting the other drop back into the bowl, "that one will just have to wait for next year."

She raises the paper and makes her way to the microphone. She takes a breath, announcing the name.

"Rimmage Lytle."

And it's me.

* * *

 **Reapings are done! Hope you all enjoy!**

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	4. Bye

Nothing in my body seems able to move, even my heart has paused at the very name spoken. My lungs refuse to take in oxygen, I'm not sure they can right now. I know I should breathe but nothing gets drawn into my chest.

How? My name was in the bowl eighteen times! Eighteen! Out of the thousands that I can see overflow from the glass sphere. How out of all those names was I the one to be chosen. It didn't make sense. The chances were astronomical yet here we are. Me standing stiffly in the crowd, Elpis repeating my name, the few in the crowd that know me gazing in my direction.

I can hear an almost primal scream from behind. I don't need to turn to know it is my mother. She is hollering my name, struggling with two peacekeepers who hold her back. But then, another high pitched scream echoes, this one more controlled, less animalistic.

"Let me go!" Valance screams as she smacks a peacekeeper, "Rimmage!"

Move. Something in my mind shakes back into reality. I swallow a glob of saliva that has been building up and manage to move my leg forward, stepping out of the line. Someone else has taken control of my body, I don't seem to be commanding my feet to move but yet they do. Locked, slowly, and with great effort, they continue to move me forward, closer to the stage.

I have always seen tributes hold back their emotions when they are chosen for the games, looking like they had almost expected it. I thought I could pull that off if I had ever been reaped but now that I have, it is nearly impossible. I have never been much of an emotional person but I can feel the tears welling in my eyes, the tense feeling that spreads throughout my body, telling me to run, to flee this place as soon as I can. I can't though, they'd have me in seconds and bound in cuffs.

I reach the base of the stairs and it is almost painful to go up each step. The slide of my shoes over the concrete breaking the silence that fills the hub. When I reach the top, Elpis grabs me and guides me to stand beside her on the stage.

"Any volunteers?" Elpis smiles at the crowd, itching for some more action to take place. I always had a thought that the escorts might get a bonus if there is a volunteer since they seem so excited when one does step up.

Volunteers. It hits me that I could have someone to volunteer for me! My brother, Alleron, he is huge! He has the muscles to make quick work of any fight he would be in. Everyone said that he would have a good chance at winning the games if he ever got drawn. He could do it, I know he could! He always talks about how if he got reaped he would come home a victor. He even bragged that he might volunteer for the games since it would be an easy win for him.

I start sifting through the crowds and find him rather quickly among the other eighteen-year-olds. I find him just in time to see his reaction and instantly my heart sinks. He does not jump out of the crowd screaming that he will take my spot like I hope. Instead, he turns his head to avoid my gaze and starts walking towards mom.

I'm dead.

"Well," She says, "here we are! The tributes from District 6! Tansy Cornack and Rimmage Lytle!"

I watch as the sea of people begins to clap. My friends, family, neighbours, strangers all cheering not because they want to but because they have to. Forced to treat this moment as a good sporting event, if they didn't then the Capitol would punish the entire district.

It is good custom for the tributes of the district to shake hands. Tansy has to poke me to shake me back into reality. I grab her hand and she gives it a firm shake. Even this girl who is younger and shorter than me seems more ready for the games than I am. Who would think me to be a victor? Lanky, weak me who would be lucky to win in a fight against a chipmunk.

After we shake hands, Elpis whisks us away into the Justice Building, the double set doors closing tightly behind us. I feel like all joy and hope I had got locked outside those doors. That I am left hollow. Unable to form thoughts except one, that I am entering the Hunger Games.

A group of peacekeepers takes me to a room where I will say goodbye to those I love. Immediately I hate the area. The white and brown walls, white velvet chairs and couches, the marble flooring. This is where all the tributes before me had said goodbye to the people they loved. The walls left stained with tears, the floors soaked in agony. It only affirmed what I knew. This will be the last place I will ever see my family.

It takes a few minutes for the doors to open again. Valance rushes in followed by Alleron and mom. Valance wraps her arms around me, burying her face into my chest. Mom was right behind her, tears in eyes as she grabbed me into a hug.

"I'm sorry," is all I manage to say.

They don't reply, they just continue to cry and grip me harder. I can feel mom digging her fingers into my back like I might slip from her grip. Valance holding me in such a way that it makes it hard to breathe.

"What are you going to do?" Valance chokes out.

"What?" I reply.

"You have to fight," she wipes away her tears, "you have to fight!"

I knew I did but I have seen the Hunger Games every year. The tributes are strong, they know how to handle weapons. I had neither of those skills. "I won't wi-"

"No!" Valance cuts me off, "I don't want to lose my brother. I don't want to be the families who have lost someone to the games. So you come home. You do whatever it takes but you don't leave us."

Now I am in danger of bawling my eyes out. I can't form words so instead, I nod my head.

We sit on the couch hugging one another. Mom brushes my hair and I keep Valance close. Alleron remains awkwardly on one of the chairs, peering over like he is unable to get close or something bad might happen. Maybe it will. I felt so much anger for him. He always bragged about how he could win the games, everyone talked about how he could, then when his brother gets reaped he doesn't have the courage to look? And even now he refuses to do anything but sit across from me.

It wasn't so much him not taking my place for the games that had me furious but rather how he would brag that he would do it. How he lied and mocked us all with his overconfident attitude. I'm angry cause he had me fooled and now doesn't even have the decency to look me in the eye.

The guards open the door and mom starts to scream that she wants more time. They grab her and pry her away but her grip is so tight on me that her fingernails cut into my shoulders as she is pulled. I wrap my arms around Valance.

"I love you," I whisper to her just before a peacekeeper picks her up, taking her away.

I am left with Alleron who stares at me.

"Good luck," he mumbles.

"Congrats," I say spitefully, "all that talk. Bragging about how you could do this. Guess now, we really know if you would have won the games."

Alleron leaves without another look, the door shutting behind him.

I go straight to the couch, grabbing the top of to balance myself well I take a few deep breaths. Within seconds my next visitor will walk in. The Capitol doesn't waste much time once a tribute has been reaped.

I hear the door open and it is as if the games have already started and I have been placed in front of my last opponent. My skin crawls, the hatred I had for Alleron bragging only to be choked up when it came to acting on his words is minuscule compared to what I feel now.

"You picked a hell of a good time to come back into my life," I say.

In front of me stands a tall man with a well-rounded belly. His black hair has been buzzed down with bits of grey peeking out. His brown eyes peering at me, the only part of him I didn't inherit. He stumbles forward, unsure of what to do.

"You left seven years ago and what? Just thought you would say goodbye now? Now that I am being sent off to die?" Despite the burning hatred I feel, my tone remains calm.

"I just wanted to see you off," he mumbles.

"So your conscious was clear?" I ask, "obviously it wasn't bugging you well you ate enough to get fat well your children starved."

"Alleron looks healthy," He inches towards a chair but stops when I glare at him.

"Alleron is as greedy as you are," I say.

He doesn't respond to this. Instead, he takes a seat in the chair.

"If you are going to come back into anyone's life it should be Valance."

My father raises his eye at this as if to question why.

"She was asking about you before the Reaping. I don't think she wants anyone to know but you leaving bugs her. She wants a father in her life." I tell him. I would rather he steer far away from Valance and not corrupt her but I won't be working to help mom out. Alleron will continue to take what he can, leaving little for Valance. Having our father in her life will ensure she at least doesn't go hungry. I at least want to make sure she has a chance.

"Okay," he says.

We sit in silence until the door opens, the peacekeeper motioning for my father to leave. He goes to give me a hug but I brush him off. I don't want to be near him. He exits and the door shuts behind him.

A group of my friends are the next to enter. It was clear to everyone that they weren't the true definition of friends but rather a group of people who allowed me to stand with them and trail behind them. I'd never confide in them. In all honesty, I'm sure they didn't know my last name until Elpis called it out at the Reaping.

"Shit, that sucks man," Volt says.

"But you got this," Faith rubs my arm.

"Yea, you can win," Talia forces a smile.

Their poor attempts at comforting me. I thank them and the room falls silent and stays this way until the peacekeepers say they can go. Everyone clears out but Faith gives me a hug before leaving and then that's it.

I am left in the room by myself for awhile. It is obvious Tansy, the other tribute, is a bit more popular than I am. The only reason I can ponder up as to why I am alone in this room well the minute's tick away is that she still has more people to say goodbye to.

The time comes to leave and peacekeepers enter the room. For a moment, it is as if they are expecting me to fight but what is the point? Not like I will escape anyways. The place is locked down, I'd make it ten feet and then be caught.

I am guided to the back of the justice building and loaded up into a vehicle. Tansy is back and still is void of any tears. How? After saying goodbye to all her friends and family, how could anyone not get a little teary? I don't have long to question it though as we are already pulling up to the train station.

There are crowds of citizens and cameramen as we are removed from the car and walked up towards the platform. The peacekeepers are walking me up a set of stairs when I hear something. Not the murmurs of the crowd or the flashing of cameras, no this is snivelling. This is someone crying. I immediately look at Tansy, has she cracked? No, her expression is of stone, blank and hard. Then where is this sound of someone crying coming from?

I am entering the train when I feel a heavy cold object land in my palm. I stop at the first step of the train, peering into my hand to find a silver bracelet. Where did this – It hits me. I've seen this before, around the wrist of the only person I cared about who didn't visit me. The crying, it was coming from the peacekeeper. I find him on the platform.

"Markos?" I say just before the door closes in my face.

* * *

 **Felt the goodbyes were a little rushed but didn't want them to be TOO long.**

 **Do you think Rimmage's hatred for Alleron is justified?**

 **Will Markos be brought up later?**

 **Don't forget to review, follow, fav!**


	5. The Competition Begins

Back in District 6, some of us get the pleasure to ride trains. Not the old worn down trains that move throughout the district, no, it's the high tech trains we supply the Capitol and other districts with. And some of us get the rare opportunity to move between districts to fix trains or tracks that are outside our district. I have never got picked to travel between districts, I have had the chance to ride on trains before. But they came nowhere near as luxurious as the one I stand in now.

The train is about twenty carts long, offering our own bedrooms, dining carts, bars, grand seating areas, even though we will be on this train for less than 24 hours, we have enough to do for weeks. Elpis tells us to go to our bedrooms and get dressed for dinner. When I enter my room, I am shocked at how large it really is. Massive bed, dozens of drawers with each one providing a variety of clothing, my own separate bathroom.

I pull off my shirt. The sweat that has accumulated in the hot sun and stress causing it to stick to my back. I don't bother to shower though. Instead, I slip on a new outfit. Simple black pants with a white shirt.

In the confines of my own bedroom, I finally glance down at the bracelet. The silver band that has small silver bulbs that are equally spaced from one another. In the Capitol, this might be a simple fashion accessory that costs them a handful of money but in district 6, could easily get enough money to last my family a year with this.

My family. I wonder what they are doing now. The district will be gearing up for the celebration but they won't participate. Mom will be crying herself to sleep, I knew that. Valance, she could do the same but she can control her emotions a bit better than everyone else. Alleron was unpredictable. He is upset, I can figure that much out, but I was unsure if he would be as much of a shut-in as my mother and sister or if he would head out for the celebration despite me being reaped. That seemed like the most likely option.

And then there was my father who had decided to visit me. Did he really think I'd run into his arms and forgive him for everything he did? Or did he know I was going to act the way I did? I decide not to waste too much time on it.

I slip on the bracelet Markos gave me. I guess this will be my token for the games. I was so caught up in having to enter the arena that I forgot to even get something as a token but I guess Markos was on top of things and gave me this to remember him by well I'm fighting for my life.

Some tokens don't make it into the games though. If they could be used to give the tribute an unfair advantage in the games, then they are taken away. Victors and game commentaries have said that everything from earrings to necklaces that could be folded into a large point had been removed. But sometimes, even the tributes pull a fast one on the Capitol.

A few years ago, a girl from 4 managed to get a small stuffed toy. It seemed harmless enough but then she ripped it open to reveal a plastic blade that she probably constructed herself. It was seen as unfair, she had cheated. As punishment, the gamemakers had their fun with her to set an example. I can still remember her screams as genetically altered beetles burrowed into her body.

Elpis calls us out to dinner and I head to the dining cart. A large wooden table is decorated with fancy dishes. Around the table are Elpis, Tansy, and the two mentors who will be coaching us for the duration of the games. At first glance, I know they will be of little help to us.

They are our two most recent winners. Brenda and Caliper who both won a little over 10 years ago. Brenda is a heavy morphling addict. Her greasy dark red hair lays in knots, pale skin hollow, even her teeth have rotted away despite only being twenty-eight. Caliper looks a bit healthier but not by much, at least he has had the decency to keep his teeth from rotting away and his brown hair washed.

Tansy, the other tribute, doesn't seem to eager about our mentors either. There is discussion among the people of 6 who wish that if they are ever taken as tribute they get Tressa or Fascia as a mentor since they have managed to stay away from the drug.

I sit down to find an orange soup being served first. Brenda has passed out before we even dig in. She leans forward with drool coming out of her mouth.

"Should we wake her?" I ask.

"I have requested for some help getting her to bed," Elpis says.

Tansy rolls her eyes at this. Caliper, who is my mentor, is more put together to maybe offer me some advice on the games were Brenda is beyond doing anything to aid Tansy.

Soon, two Capitol attendants enter and have to carry Brenda away since she is unable to walk herself. Once she is gone, we all return to our meals. It is quiet, the sounds of spoons tapping against the bowls echoing into my ears.

"Lovely weather," Elpis breaks the silence.

During the games, the escort helps the mentors get sponsorship for their tributes. Obviously, neither Brenda or Caliper can be the face of my team with their decaying bodies. No wealthy Capitol citizen will want to deal with someone like that. So my best bet is Elpis.

I yearn for my family again but I am not about to lay here weeping till I have to go into the arena so mind as well start gearing up for it.

"It was," I say, "you did a great job too."

This is enough to get Elpis on my side. Probably because most of the tributes from earlier years were too upset or mad to bother making conversation. "You think?" She smiles.

"I know," I reassure her.

"Thank you," Elpis gleams, "I've been trying to seem more engaging with the audience since they are so stubborn."

"Oh, I could tell."

Tansy seems to be placing two and two together, coming to the same conclusion that I have. Whoever gets Elpis on their side, gets the sponsors.

"The introduction was the best part," Tansy says.

Elpis grins, "you both are too kind!"

We are served an assortment of meals. The orange soup is followed by a salad, then the main course which is salmon in a small dish of spicy sauce and rice, at the end we are given chocolate cake. During the entire meal, Tansy and I compete for Elpis's attention. Caliper seems more concerned with a sore that has formed on his forearm that he seems adamant on picking until it bleeds.

We finish and Elpis says the recap of the Reapings will be taking place anytime. We all make our way to the den where a large television has Ceaser Flickerman, the host of the Hunger Games, expressing how excited he is for this game to commence. He comments on a few districts and then the Reapings start.

I know I need to pay attention here. This will be the first time I see my competition, the people who will be standing in my way of going home. The first one that catches my eye is the boy from 1. Garment, which is the name he gives, leaps out to volunteer. The reason he stands out is the sleeveless shirt he wears that shows off how muscular he actually is. The male from 2 has a mischievous grin as he volunteers. Then the two from 3 who I could swear are twins. They both have dark hair and the same facial features but have different last names.

They show the District 6 reaping. Elpis introducing the games, then Tansy being reaped and walking up stage. I am reaped next and then it shows my mom and sister screaming and crying as they fight peacekeepers. I am clearly distraught as I make my way to the stage. We shake hands and then it goes to the next district. It is easier to relive the experience then I had thought.

The girl from 9 is muscular and tall and looks like a killer. She is paired with a twelve-year-old boy who breaks down crying when he is reaped and has to be dragged onto the stage. It shows the remainder of the reapings before the program ends and we are free to leave.

Tansy gives Elpis one more compliment before she walks off. My district partner is a lot smarter than I thought she was. Maybe we can work out a deal where we stick together in the games. I've seen district partners make alliances before, the ones who survive the bloodbath usually do well for the first half of the games.

Elpis decides to start getting ready for bed and she hops out of the room, leaving Caliper and I by ourselves.

"Any advice?" I ask.

Caliper opens his eyes wider as if he has been in a trance this entire time. "What?"

"Advice. We just saw all the tributes. Anything you want to add about them?"

Caliper looks at the screen. I expect him to pass out like Brenda or give some slurred sentence that will be inaudible but he surprises me. "Don't judge them on the Reapings. I mean, I cried when I got reaped but look at me now. I'm a victor."

I want to ask him more but it seems our time is done. He staggers to his feet and shambles out the door to his own cart.

I stay up later than usual. A Capitol attendant brings me a piece of paper and pen along with some tea. I've never had tea before and it seems obvious why. When I taste it, it is like warm water with slight favour to it, nothing to my liking. But I begin to write down the tributes.

I list them in order of danger. The ones I know I need to avoid at the top with the ones whom I think nature itself will deal with at the bottom. The careers, the ones from Districts 1, 2, and 4 who train for the games, make up the top 6. Followed by that girl from 9. Her district partner takes up the bottom placement. Twelve-year-olds never last long in the Hunger Games, they are usually the first to be killed. I am almost finished my list, looking at the placements of each tribute. Something is off though.

I look at the number one spot, taken by the boy from 1 with the bulging muscles and look for blood. Is he really the most dangerous tribute? He is the most dangerous to everyone but he isn't the number one spot to me. No, someone else claims that title. Someone who will get a front row seat to how I operate. I cross out the boy's name and instead write down the real threat to me. Tansy Cornack.


	6. Gameplan

It's almost impossible for me to fall asleep. The thoughts of the games and the other tributes dance in my head, keeping my brain way to active to even shut down for a moment. Hours go by and still nothing so I decide to give into the thoughts. I guess thinking about the games is beneficial for now since I have never thought of a strategy before.

I throw off the blankets and turn on the television. The Capitol is showing reruns of the Reaping but mostly they show previous games. I'm left watching the 68th game interviews. Good background noise for me well I think. I hate the silence.

I begin to go through my skills. I have never used any kind of weapon before. The closest I came to that is when I use a knife to cook but it's not like my knowledge of buttering biscuits is going to be useful in a game where tributes can throw spears fifty yards away. I'm not a strong person either, sure I have been in fights before but it was always evenly matched since the kids I was around have been starving and severely lacking food like I have been. If I was to face a tribute from a District like 10 or 12, then I might stand a shot but over half of the tributes seem to be capable enough to bring me down. That leaves smarts. If I can't physically win then I know I can mentally. I am the smartest in my class. Heck, I even tutored some of the kids.

To outsmart tributes though meant I would need an arena that would allow me too. One of the games that took place forty years ago was a giant maze that kept changing, the girl that won that used it to trick tributes into traps. But then another game just a few years ago was a wide open, flat field that never seemed to end. What little traps that could be made were easily seen, tributes couldn't hide, the only two strategies that seemed to allow someone to survive were brutality or running. If I was in an arena like that, I was as good as dead.

I didn't know traps too well but I knew I could pick some up at the Capitol. What I was good at was outsmarting people...Predicting them...Playing them. I stare at the screen to see the male from 3 talking about how his sister was terribly ill and needed him to take care of her. Which couldn't be true because he won this game and we got to see his sister when he returned to District 3, she seemed healthier than most of the other tributes of that year. He lied to get sympathy...

I try to recall the other victors from past games. A girl from 9 who was loud and funny and had the Capitol in tears with laughter. A male tribute from 5 who was nerdy and clumsy, he managed to get the crowd to love his quirky ways. They played up their personalities, made themselves memorable in some way. It made sense.

The Hunger Games were a punishment for the districts but for the Capitol, it was a massive reality tv show. The gamemakers needed to ensure blood is spilled to torture the districts but still please the audiences in the Capitol.

I've seen tributes who were cunning, smart, killers but none of them could match how threatening the gamemakers are. They have even obliterated tributes in the arena just to show off that they can. But they didn't just kill people off at random. The gamemakers need to make a compelling show not so much for the districts but for the Capitol. Showing relationships between tributes, or back stories of some, even a small segment of a male tribute who told jokes a few years ago. Since the tributes aren't always busy killing each other and someone just walking through woods was boring, they filled the gaps with this very thing, personalities and stories.

When I read stories there have to be villains, heroes, someone you cheer for, someone you hate, those things keep you addicted and the Hunger Games are no different. They need those very personalities each year to keep the audiences of the Capitol happy.

That is what I need to do. I need to be someone who impacts the ratings positively, who can distinguish myself from the others not by my skills but by my story. If I paint myself as a memorable person and the Capitol is cheering me on then the gamemakers will want me to stick around since I am bringing in the views. If they need to kill someone off, they would turn a blind eye to me and instead focus on someone who is boring. And if I am targeted they wouldn't just outright kill me off, the Capitol would hate that, but they would make me squirm a bit and then turn to someone else. If the gamemakers want me to stay alive then that is a huge ally in my corner.

So how can I get the Capitol to love me? I kinda botched the Reaping. Nothing too special there for the people to cling to so that means the next coming days I needed to come up with a story, make something so they will remember me. So that I won't vanish into the sea of tributes but rather stand out in peoples minds. I run through the ideas but eventually sleep finally finds its way to me and I doze off.

It feels as if I have only spent a few minutes asleep when I hear the knocking at the door.

"Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey!" Elpis sings.

I guess that is better than the freezing cold or Valance violently nudging me that usually awoke me. I imagine Valance in the morning. How is she doing? Will she go to school today or will they allow her a day off since I got Reaped? I find myself wishing she is forced to go, maybe it will help keep her mind off of me. Mom will be deep in a morphling dream by now. Alleron most likely sleeping the day away.

I change into cotton pants and a grey shirt before heading out for breakfast. It is probably the biggest meal I have seen. Large piles of bacon, eggs, and toast. There is also these circular fluffy patties that Elpis tells me are pancakes. I inhale six of them before I even turn my attention to the rest of the food. I try coffee for the first time but, just like the tea, don't have a taste for it.

Tansy seems just as eager to eat. Filling her plate up with a mountain of food and diving right in.

"I don't understand why you must gorge yourselves like so," Elpis uses a knife to spread jam on toast, "it isn't like we are going to run out."

But she doesn't get it. Back at District 6, the food does run out and you either eat quickly or lose your chance at a meal.

Caliper has also decided to join us for breakfast. A fresh pair of bandages on his forearms. Anyone from District 6 knows why a morphling addict would have bandages like this. Withdrawals.

I remember mom when supplies were short. We would have to hide the morphling she had and only give her a small shot a day since quitting cold-turkey would result in death. The decline in morphling caused a whole list of withdrawals but the worst was the scratching. I'm not sure if she was hallucinating things in her arms or just mindlessly did it but she would scratch her arms until the skin was ripped apart and the flesh was exposed. When it got that bad, I'd have to restrain her in bed so she couldn't cause further harm to herself. Valance hated those times. Mom would be tied in the bed, screaming and crying, like an animal caught in a trap.

Caliper must be low on morphling. Victors addicted to it are never without so my only guess is the stash he tried to bring with him on the train got discovered and dealt with. Victors had a high status with Capitol citizens but even they had limits to the drugs. What little use Caliper was to me will likely be obstructed by the intense withdrawals he is sure to experience.

"Where is Brenda?" Tansy says, annoyed.

Caliper stares at the door with a blank dead look.

"She decided to sleep in," Elpis says.

"Of course," Tansy bites into bacon.

"So, should we be expecting anything today?" I ask Caliper.

No response.

Elpis picks up on this. By the expression on her face, she seems to have to step in a lot well our victors lay unable to talk from drugs. "You will be entering the Capitol within minutes," she says, "your stylists and teams will prepare you for the Opening Ceremonies!" She claps her hands together with a grin, "exciting isn't it?"

I remember the strategy I formed last night of making myself into someone loved by the Capitol but I don't see how I can act upon it in the ceremonies. This part will be strictly on my stylists to make me shine.

"Any advice for us?" I ask.

"Don't be rude," Elpis says, "I have seen tributes before just staring at the crowds. So impolite. You two must smile and wave, show you aren't savages."

So us not smiling is considered being a savage but killing people for sport isn't? I wonder what kind of backwards laws the Capitol must have for them to come to this way of thinking.

Suddenly, the car goes dark. Outside nothing but black as if night has fallen within seconds. No, not night, night has stars and moonlight. This is a pitch black, that of a tunnel. We must be in the mountains that surround the Capitol. This natural formation was a large part in the rebellions fall since they had to scale the giant mountains, making them easy prey for hovercrafts.

We emerge from the tunnel into a train station. Just by the sight, I know this is the Capitol. The building we are in is massive and pure white. There are screens that show advertisements for items such as toothpaste and coffee. One large screen shows Tansy and I's faces under the bold "Tributes arriving," text. A sea of colourful people surrounding the train.

I have seen citizens from the Capitol on television before but nothing like this. Hundreds of them in outrageous clothes, gigantic hairdos, makeup of all colours. All of them clapping, waving, or struggling to get a view of us, the tributes from District 6. All of them eager to either see me die or see me kill.

* * *

 **We are in the Capitol! Woo! So what would your strategy be for the games?**

 **What do you think of Rimmage's strategy?**

 **Don't forget to review and if you like to follow and fav.**


	7. The Cat

I clench the ends of the table as they rip off the next paper from my body. Apparently, in the Capitol men are only allowed to have hair in specific parts. Forearms, face, and pits, anything else has to be removed. But even the areas where hair is allowed is carefully groomed. My armpits are trimmed drastically along with my forearms. My prep team debates if they should shave my stubble or keep it since it is so small, in the end, they keep it but shave the ends so it seems more precise and less out of control.

"Why can't people from the districts every take care of themselves?" Pumice, a woman with tanned skin and hundreds of tiny diamonds branching from the ends of her eyes to her hairline in the shape of a triangle, says.

"I think it is the culture there," Florian says. He is middle-aged with a bushy beard and thick eyebrows. He could actually appear normal if it wasn't for the tattoos that branch up his neck.

Eros, a guy who is skinnier than me, shakes in disgust at the thought. He fixes his mint green hair which stands straight up. "I could not imagine."

Like all the other tributes, I am in the remake centre. A large building that allows the tributes to be made presentable before the crowds. My prep team, three people who never seem to stop talking, bob around me as they take care of a variety of details. Pumice works on my nails, cutting them so they all are clean and shaped the same. Florian works on my hair, trimming the sides and top. Eros works creams and liquids into my face. Once they finish with those they scrub my entire body down and bathe me in multiple foams and lotions. I thought getting treated to look good would feel...Good. Instead, my body stings and feels raw.

To add to the discomfort, my prep team talks with no signs of ending. Usually, I can bear someone talking but after hours of it, I have developed a headache. I want to tell them to shut up but I know every member of my team is vital to me getting noticed. I'd rather not upset them or get on their bad side well I still need them.

They guide me out of the common room, where all the other tributes are in process of being remade. They take me into an elevator and up a few floors to my own private room. There they yank off my robe so I stand completely naked in front of them. Instantly, I feel embarrassed and use my hands to cover myself but Pumice slaps my hands away.

"We don't judge, sweety," Eros grins.

"Let us do our work," Pumice adds.

The three circle me making sure every inch is perfect. That not one hair is out of place, not one piece of dry skin or patch of oil, nothing that could hinder my appearance.

"There," Pumice smiles, "finished."

"Thank you," I instinctively say.

"You are very welcome!" Florian says.

"So polite," Eros says.

The three begin to chat and bounce around like idiots as they exit the room, leaving me by myself. I go straight for the robe, wrapping it around my body. Who knows what sort of person will be walking through those doors next. I'd rather not welcome them with every part of my body exposed.

When the door finally opens again, I am taken back. The woman is taller than I am, at least 6'5. Her skin has been coloured a dirty white with tiger-like stripes that wrap around every inch of her body. Her nose has been flattened to that of a cat with long whiskers over her lips. She looks hideous. The prime example of what horror Capitol people can find attractive.

I have the urge to flee before she gets close but hold my ground. The woman moves silently as she makes her way towards me, motioning for me to remove my robe. Removing my robe is the last thing I want to do but I hesitantly accomplish the task. I'm left standing naked as She moves with stealth and precision. Her toes touch the floor first as if she is testing it before she slowly lowers the rest of her foot down, not making a single sound as she prowls around me, seeing how tall I stand, how broad my shoulders are, how thin my mid-section is. She runs her hands through my hair to test the length of it then moves her face close to mine to see my eye colour...Is she purring?

She hands me back the robe and I place it on with haste. She walks ahead of me, opening another door to a separate room. The room is massive, one side being complete glass that showcases the Capitol. We must be at least thirty levels up, giving us a prime view of the city. Rain splatters against the glass and falls down onto the streets of the Capitol. Even though they probably think it is a day ruined by water I can't help but see how beautiful it is. Rain meant hope, it meant clean drinkable water, so I always loved the site of rain. But what it does to the Capitol is jaw-dropping. The lights of buildings and streets bounce off of the small water droplets that cover everything, making it seem like the city itself is shining. It was the perfect look for the Capitol, a dark mysterious place that emitted beauty.

"Who are you?" I ask. I know the woman is my stylist but I expected more of an introduction when she walked in. A hey, how are you, my name is so and so. Not the quiet observation she has done.

"Tigris," she purrs lowly, "your stylist."

"Nice to meet you." Though the woman might be repulsive I try to remain on my best behaviour. That is one thing mom reinforced in all of us. If we misbehaved even a little she would swoop down and make sure we learned never to act that way again. I learned to be polite to people who got on my nerves or who seemed less desirable.

I follow her to a table set in the middle of the room, already food awaits us. Two simple setups. On my side a bowl of yellowish thick soup and a plate that has long cooked pieces of a green vegetable that I have never seen before. Two fillets of glazed salmon lay on top of it with tomatoes, potatoes, chives, and a small lemon wedge decorating the plate. Tigris's meal looks completely different from mine and I wonder if she isn't actually a mutt that has been given a Capitol role. Her plate has fish as well but all raw. Some pieces still having the skin on them. I have a hard time eating well she slurps up and consumes the raw animal without hesitation. I feel that most of my dishes for the next bit will be seafood based if Tigris takes her cat-like appearance to heart which she seems she does. I won't complain, I have never had seafood before and find it enjoyable.

Most of our meal is eaten in quiet. Tigris isn't much of a talker and I do not know what to bring up. Can't talk about District 6 and I know nothing about her life to make conversation with. But when I am almost done my meal I feel like I need to speak up to break the awkward silence.

"So what will I be wearing for the Tribute Parade?"

"You confident with your body?" She asks.

"I guess?" I really wasn't. I was too skinny, not the starving, ribs showing type of thin that some others I have seen but I was not of healthy weight either.

Tigris says no more, just simple gives her head a nod before returning to her food. She is a woman of very few words. Even taking this cat persona too seriously. She talks as little as she can, mostly replying to questions in purrs or else hisses which I worked out to be yes or no rather quickly. I oddly enjoy her silence after my prep team worked a headache into me.

I can only imagine what kind of outfit I will be in though. I try to think of the previous costumes District 6 has had to wear. One year the tributes looked to be in armoured sits made of railroad tracks, another they were dressed like half-naked trains with the headlight in their crotch, that was embarrassing to watch let alone wear.

Tigris had been a stylist before but I knew it wasn't for District 6, she must have been moved to 6 recently. I have no idea what kind of clothes she will consider to be fashionable. If being almost naked is the way to go or if she will have us covered in rust like clothing. Whatever it was, I needed the eyes to be on me and not vanish into the crowds. I needed Tigris to bring me into the spotlight. A woman who appears to be a giant cat should be able to accomplish that...


	8. Opening Ceremonies

When Tigris dresses me in my outfit for the Opening Ceremonies, I am relieved it is nothing embarrassing but it becomes obvious this outfit was designed for someone who was fit, not skinny. Around my arms is a thin, skin coloured sleeve with long tire treads coming down, making it seem as if my arms are transforming into rubber. My back is dressed in the same material but the rubber tire stretches around my neck, giving me a collar. The rest of my torso is left bare but my waist down is covered in tight cloth that continues with the tire design.

Tigris tries to make me look more buff. She uses colours to make my body look more defined but it does little to help. She resorts to covering me in specs of silver shimmers, making it seem like I almost sparkle in the light. It won't hide my physique but it will draw attention away from it. She has also made my face look tanned and brought out my hazel green eyes. My hair has been slicked forward so the sides and back are flat but it sprawls in a spiky mess just above my face, oddly making me look dangerous.

I try to think of how I can form a gameplan into this costume. I have ruined the Reaping so that means the tribute costumes have to play a part in my overall strategy to get the audience to notice me and want to watch me. Having my hip bones showing with my concave stomach doesn't show off strength so I won't be able to play the "I'm dangerous," card. Can't flirt with the audience either, being mouthy would be ridiculous since I can't back up the words, how am I suppose to draw a personality that is meant to make people want to watch me? I mean, I have no real shot at actually winning the games...It hits me. I have no shot...I'm the underdog. Who doesn't love an underdog? Someone who seems doomed only to rise up and fight their way to the end!

It is sort of the strategy the girl last year did to win. Johanna Mason. She played innocent and fragile until only a handful of players were left in the games, then butchered the rest and won. But she more so played up being emotionally weak, unable to cope with being a tribute, having given up before entering the games. I'd be the opposite. Be physically weak and unable to contend but emotionally be hopeful and say how I'm going to fight and prove them wrong. People will be interested to see if I fail or succeed, they will want to watch me not for the kills but to see if someone so pitiful yet so hopeful can really pull it off. I find myself thinking this costume is perfect for what I need to do.

"Thank you," I say.

Tigris bows and lets out a purr.

She takes me to the bottom of the Remake Centre. It is basically a giant stable but they have been done up so they are at least presentable in the face of honoured guests such as us tributes. Tigris directs me to our chariot which is pulled by two pure black horses. This is how every tribute will be introduced, riding on a wagon, presented before the crowds. Tansy is already waiting when I mount the chariot.

"You look nice," I say as I stand beside her. She is dressed in a similar getup but two pieces of the tire-like fabric span on her chest, covering her breasts.

"You think this will get us noticed at least?" Tansy mumbles.

I glance at the other tributes. I'm sure we can outshine the ones dressed like trees or giant stocks of corn but the two from 1 appear to be sparkling gems and the pair from 5 sport an eye-catching outfit that has lightbulbs and electricity. "We might not be the best but people will see us," I say.

It goes quiet again while Tigris and Tansy's stylist begin to do last minute touches on our costumes.

"Let's not fight," I say, "District 6 will benefit from either of us winning, our families will be taken care of—"

"How do you know that?" Tansy blurts out.

"Well, if I win I promise to make sure your family doesn't go hungry or struggle." I extend my hand for a shake on the deal.

Tansy hesitates, thinking this over but seems to agree to this. She shakes my hand. "I'll watch out for yours."

"Thanks...There's more to it than that agreement though."

Tansy raises her brow.

"You caught on that whoever gets Elpis in their corner gets the sponsors. I think we should team up, least for the first bit of the games, so that we can help one another and both will share the sponsor gifts."

"No."

"What?"

"No," Tansy says, "you aren't good for my game. It's not personal but I intend to win and that plan does not include you."

I want to argue this but Tansy doesn't seem like the type that is swayed easily. Also, the giant doors are opening and the first of the tributes are rolling out onto the streets. It isn't long before we are exiting the building.

The street is surrounded by thousands of Capitol citizens. The crowd I seen at the train station is minor compared to this. A sea of colours, waves, and cheers. The music so loud I can feel it in my bones but even then the crowds are louder. For the first seconds, I am frozen by the sheer number of people and the sound. My eyes taking it all in, my heart beating, the nerves in my body seems to shake themselves.

I was correct in assuming the costumes would outshine some but not all. The two from 5 pull most the attention but the crowds would rather look at us than the two pairs behind us. All the eyes on me, sizing me up, seeing if I will be a good contender. I'm staring back, unsure what to do when Elpis's voice rings in my ears. Her advice from earlier on the train, _don't be rude. Some tributes just stare into the crowds._ I'm doing exactly what she told me not to do. With the initial shock over, I force a big smile and begin to wave at the crowds.

With the nerves out of the way, I feel excited. The loud music, the rambunctious crowd, the cheers, it is all intoxicating. Despite these people wanting to see me kill or be killed, they have a way of making a person just excited as they are. I find myself waving, leaning over the side of the chariot well I smile at the crowds. I'm laughing, I'm actually laughing.

When we pull into the city circle, I have to take a few deep breaths to calm myself down but I secretly wish we could do another loop and go back to the crowds. It never happens.

President Snow, a tall and lanky man with white hair and beard, takes the podium above us. He raises his hand, the crowd slowly coming to a silence so that he may speak. "Welcome," his voice booms, "tributes, it is an honour to have you join us for the 72nd Annual Hunger Games. We salute your courage and your sacrifice and we wish you a happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favour."

The crowd goes back to cheering. Each tribute gets a final glimpse on the screen but then we enter the Training Centre and the doors shut behind us.

"That was marvellous!" Elpis grabs us both in a hug before we even step off the chariot.

Both our prep teams are bouncing around, giggling about us and what they thought of the other tributes. Brenda and Caliper are also here and they look pitiful with the other mentors around. I spot a few, some I remember, some I have no clue who they are. They look healthy, sure some might appear to be drunk or a little thin but next to Brenda or Caliper? Anyone would look ravishing.

"Good job," Brenda croaks.

Tansy brushes Brenda off. She hopes off the chariot and does something no one could predict. She walks straight to the pair from 5 and asks for an alliance.

* * *

 **Thanks to all those who are reading and commenting!**

 **What do you think of Tansy?**

 **Do you think she is going to be a problem for Rimmage in the arena?**


	9. Getting Settled

The Training Centre has a tower designed exclusively for the tributes and their teams. This will be our home until the actual games begin. Each district has an entire floor. You simply press the number of your district and the elevator brings you there.

My bedroom is twice the size of that on the train. A large comfy bed with sheets as soft as silk. Everything within the room is full of gadgets. The shower presents a panel with dozens of buttons ranging from types of scents, soaps, oils, temperature. The large window that takes up an entire wall in my room can be changed to show different streets of the Capitol but also different environments. A burning desert, a vast savannah, a green forest. When I click to a view of tons of tiny islands in a shallow reef, it clicks that these different terrains are views of previous arenas. I flip back to confirm. Yea, the desert was the 69th games, that Savannah as the arena for another game awhile ago. This discovery somehow makes the view more sinister so I switch to a street of the Capitol that shows colourful people walking over a bridge.

A Capitol attendant shows me how to program the closet to my taste. I shower with coconut scented soaps and dark shampoos with hot running water until every bit of makeup and silver is removed from my body then change into an outfit that shows off my fame. A tightly fitted pair of grey pants with a button down white shirt and black vest. I mind as well enjoy the outfits well I have access to them.

I plop down on the bed, thinking of Tansy's actions, how she asked the pair from 5 for an alliance. She undoubtedly did it to reap the rewards the District 5 tributes earned from their splash at the Opening Ceremonies. She is doing it to not only ensure allies in the games but also sponsors. The first seven days after the Reaping are meant to gain as much love from the Capitol people as possible so they will help in the arena. She is smart to do that but in front of so many people? It was making herself a target, she couldn't be that dumb. So why would she have done it with so many eyes watching her?

There is a knock at the door and I open it to find Elpis grinning at me.

"Din, din," she says and goes to fetch Tansy.

Brenda, Caliper, Tigris, and Tansy's stylist who I hear his name is Manolius, all sit at the table. I wonder if Tigris and Manolius have taken time to provide outfits for Caliper and Brenda since they are presentable. Caliper is suffering a bit more from the lack of drugs. I can tell by the dark colour under his eyes, the thickening bandages around his forearms.

"Carrots and green tea," I try to stay as quiet as possible.

"Huh?" Caliper's head twitches.

"You toss it in a bath, it helps draw out the toxins, makes the withdrawals go by faster," I remember that's what I did for mom. It was always a struggle to get her in the baths with her thrashing around and screaming but they helped her.

Tansy and Elpis come to the dining room and take a seat.

We are served a large dinner, as usual. Cheese stuffed mushrooms with spinach salad, smoked and stuffed chicken with potatoes and long green vegetables I've never seen before, lamb chops with caramelized pears and a brown sauce, and then a cheesecake to finish it off. Tigris is served her own special meals and I am shocked to see not all of them are fish.

"Those outfits today were exquisite," Elpis says.

"We appreciate the compliment," Manolius says, "we really wanted to outshine the others."

Tigris simply bows and lets out a purr. I can't help but notice that Elpis, even though she is from the Capitol, seems to shun Tigris out. When Elpis talks, she keeps eye contact with Manolius, avoiding Tigris altogether. Is Tigris even too altered for some people at the Capitol? Oddly, that makes me like her more.

I know what it is like the be the outcast. In school, I never really had anyone. For most of my time, I sat alone, did work alone, walked home alone. I never seemed able to just connect with people and people never wanted to try and talk to me. It wasn't until I helped Faith that I earned some "friends."

We were taking a test but I had finished ahead of time. They don't allow you to leave if you complete your work early so I had to sit there. Faith was messing up on a few questions so I whispered to her that she was getting them wrong and guided her through it. She introduced me to her group of friends and they accepted me into their circle but was always kept at arm's length. I was never invited to their normal get-togethers, none of them talked to me often except to ask for help on their assignments or joke about something I did. I never knew what it was like to have someone you can really trust, who was there for me, who I could meet up and forget about my struggles for a moment...I guess Markos fills that spot but he is someone I am dating not friends with. Plus, I'm always having to sneak around to even say hello to him.

"That was brilliant as well, Tigris." I say, "placing the silver shimmers on last minute."

She bows her head again.

Elpis says that it is time for the recap and we all carry out drinks to the television screen. As expected, the tributes from 1 and 5 steal the show. It isn't completely hopeless, commentators rank each outfit and Tansy and I make it rather high on the list.

Everyone congratulates our stylists.

Brenda shambles off and Caliper isn't far behind her. Elpis and Manolius sip wine and head onto the balcony. Tigris sits quietly but even she gets bored and walks off to do her own thing. Tansy and I left alone.

"That was a gutsy move," I say.

"With big risk comes big reward," Tansy replies.

"Did they say yes?"

"Huh?"

"To the alliance."

Tansy stands, brushing her brown hair from her face. "Guess you will have to figure that one out yourself." She begins to walk away.

"I don't mean to pry. I just want you to win if I don't."

"I will," she says as she walks into the hall.

Confidence seems to be a trait Tansy is wealthy in.

I sit at the table and force myself to eat extra food. Another part of my strategy, gain weight. I've seen many people grow weak from the lack of food in the arena, making it easy for them to be picked off. I figure the more weight I obtain will keep me going longer without food. A week with the unlimited amount of food I could easily gain ten or so pounds to help me in the arena. I stop when I'm nearly about to puke and then head off to my room.

I strip off my clothes so I am just in my underwear and then crawl into bed. I stare at the window which shows the Capitol people walking on a bridge. Their faces overdone with makeup, hair in crazy styles or with oversized hats, clothes ranging from stylish suits to ruffled pink glitter dresses.

Is this what Markos would look like? Being a peacekeeper he is meant to serve the country for twenty-two years but they are allowed time off to return to the Capitol every couple of months. I've never seen him here in the Capitol, only in District 6 were his golden hair was spiky from the helmet and his plump face was without makeup. I try to imagine what he would look like. Hair in a corkscrew shape, highlights and shadows on his face, in a blue and yellow outfit.

I wonder if my death will change his view on the games.


	10. Training Day 1

When I awake, I find an outfit has been laid out for me. A form-fitting, lightweight shirt and pants. Dark in colour but with a large 6 on the back and sleeves. Guess this is my training outfit since I don't think they would allow me to go down in pajamas.

I dunk my head in the shower just to wet my hair and make it more manageable. I find a large array of brushes at my disposal all I need to do is press the one I want from a touchscreen attached to the mirror. I don't understand the uses of all the brushes and pick a random one. In a second it pops out of a dispenser. I brush my hair so that it lays flat, change into my clothes, and head out.

Tansy and Elpis have already gathered for breakfast. I sit with them at the table and fill my plate with rolls, hash browns, eggs, fruit in cream, and more pancakes. All the glory the Capitol has to offer and I am obsessed with the simplest invention, pancakes. I had some last night as well with ice cream on top and chocolate drizzle. Now I place the fruit and cream in the middle and bend the pancake over on itself, topping it with a whipped cream.

"Could you eat anymore?" Tansy says.

"He's got the right idea." Elpis sips her coffee, "you both should have a big breakfast. Today is your first training day, you will need a lot of energy to learn."

Tansy rolls her eyes, not wanting to admit she is wrong but still dishes up a little extra.

Training, I've been looking forward to it since my first day on the train. These will be very crucial days to me. Not only will I be given the chance to learn what I need to survive the games but also will be face to face with all the tributes. I'll be able to observe their strengths, how they present themselves, what they do. It will provide good knowledge of the field of competitors standing in my way of going back home.

"Shouldn't our mentors be here," Tansy says.

"Yes. I had informed them that we would be waiting since they are required to provide advice on this matter but Brenda never answered her door and Caliper was rushed to medic late last night."

"Is he alright?" I ask.

"If you count slashed wrists as okay." Elpis shakes her head. "I heard he was clawing at them like a wild animal. Guess he had too much wine last night for his own good."

Yes, that is it, wine. I can't imagine Elpis being that dumb to regard Caliper's current state as side effects of alcohol. She knew as well as I did that Caliper was suffering through withdrawals, maybe she wasn't sure from what drug. I have to at least commend her effort of trying to hide this fact from us but to think we are so gullible we might actually buy this lie is almost insulting.

"I have ordered that no more alcoholic beverages be served during dinner," Elpis says.

"Yea. I'm sure that will solve it." Tansy is sarcastic with her tone.

The table remains mostly quiet as we eat. Elpis shares her thoughts on what we should do which turns out surprisingly helpful. Being from the Capitol, she has enjoyed her fair share of games and has it worked down to a science. "40% of arenas usually have low amounts of water or some unique trick needed to obtain it," she says, "so it might be wise to learn some ways to find it." She also tells us not to expect another desert-like terrain. They did that 3 years ago and the citizens of the Capitol didn't like it one bit so the gamemakers will probably steer clear of such things. She then goes on about sleeping and how so many tributes make the mistake of laying in the open.

Who needs a mentor when you have Elpis.

The clock hits ten and Elpis takes us to the elevator. She wishes us a good day and pats both are heads before sending us down. The doors of the elevator open up to reveal an enormous gymnasium. Multiple stations lay throughout ranging from how to swim to how to use a bow and arrow. In the centre of the gym are the other tributes all gathered in a circle around the head trainer, Atala.

Tansy and I find our spots among the crowd, we wait for a few more tributes to show up and then she begins her speech. Atala goes on about each station and how the experts of each skill will remain at their station. That we are free to do as we are pleased with our time but fighting with any other tribute is forbidden.

With all us gathered in a circle, I take the opportunity to size up the field. The ones from Districts 1, 2, and 4 are larger than everyone else. The boy from 1, Garment, is immense. Easily standing over six feet with biceps the size of my head. His district partner, Radiance, is stunning. Long flowing blonde hair with green eyes and pale complexion. Probably about just as lethal as Garment. These will be my toughest competitors in the arena.

Atala releases us and the careers head straight for the most dangerous looking weapons. Using them to decapitate dummies or throwing them impressive lengths.

I head for the knife station. I remember seeing knives in almost every single games there has been. Whereas other weapons, such as axes or swords, have been in plenty but not always guaranteed. When I arrive, the instructor is giving a lesson to the two from 10. A short and young looking female whose brown hair is in a bun and then a tall and strong male. It's awkward at first standing beside two people who will need to die if I am to win but I get trapped in the process of learning.

I had thought using a knife would be pretty straightforward. You just hold it by the handle and slash but there is more to that. How to hold it, how to move your body, different attacks, different motions. A lesson I thought would be no more than thirty minutes evolves into two hours.

"You guys are naturals." I see the two from 10 using the knife with ease.

This catches them off guard, even find myself a bit surprised but I was so caught up in learning I forgot these two are my enemies.

"We use knives a lot," the girl says, "having to butcher meat."

The knowledge files in my brain. District 10 tributes are handy with knives. Now if I run into them and see they are holding that as a weapon, I know to run instead of try and take them on.

"Good thing to know going into the arena," I say.

"Yea," the guy answers.

"You know anything?" the girl asks.

"how to wield a wrench? Maybe a blowtorch but how often do you see those in the games?" I say, "I know how to tell direction but everyone in 6 knows that."

This brings on an agreement. They teach me how to skin and gut an animal and I teach them how to use the stars and sun to tell what direction. I learn that the girl's name is Helen with the male being Drayton. They are pros at preparing an animal for a meal and after about an hour, I have mastered the skill. They catch on to my lesson fairly quick. Helen keeps forgetting if the sun rises in the east or west and Drayton has to remind her. They laugh about it.

"You seem pretty close," I say.

"Well we have been friends for a few years," Drayton answers almost defensively.

"That's unfortunate," I say.

Helen is a bit too optimistic about the situation. "Just means I have one less person to worry about when the games start."

The three of us shake hands and wish each other luck before going back to our training separately. I have now learned how to use a knife and prepare an animal. I want to take Elpis's advice about finding water but that station is being occupied by Tansy and the two from 5. Looks like she really did form an alliance with them.

I scan the room, paying attention to the other tributes. The careers have moved to the spear throwing station. They seem to have given up trying to intimidate everyone and are now cracking jokes or else throwing a weapon. The two from 3 are showing off their trap making skills as they send a dummy up in the air by its foot. Then the skinny snivelling boy from 9 who has broken his finger on the climbing section and now gets medical attention.

I find myself looking on the large platform above the gym where the gamemakers sit and enjoy meals and drinks well watching the tributes. I can't help but find one staring at me. I remember his name from the interviews. He is the head gamemaker, Seneca Crane.

* * *

 **So what do you think about the pair from District 10?**

 **Any thoughts on Tansy's actions?**

 **Don't forget to drop a comment, follow and fav if you like.**


	11. Alliances

The next day I race to the water station. No other mentors or escorts seem to have given the other tributes advice on this since no one else is interested in it. The only ones I've seen come here are Tansy and the two from 5, Tansy likely tipping off the District 5 tributes of Elpis's knowledge.

I'm taught how to extract water from the ground. How to purify river water six different ways. How to find water by the slant of the land and the colour of plants and trees. I've never been in a forest before but they have a small setup in the station. About 6 square feet of area that looks like someone cut a chunk from a nearby woods and placed it here. He tries to show me the changes in colour but I never see it. So then he shows me the bark and how plants that are watered regularly – near water sources – have different feel and colour. This I catch onto quickly.

Once I feel confident I alternate between watching the tributes and going to stations. I try my hand with swords but don't feel comfortable at all with the weapon. I move to spears and get a better handle on this than I did the swords. I work with it until they call us for lunch. By then I have mastered the basics and am surprisingly accurate at throwing one.

Lunch is served in a room attached to the gym. A large open space with twelve tables spread around the centre. Multiple carts lay in a ring in the room holding everything from soups and salads to fish and lamb chops. I stick to the eating schedule I formed for myself. Six-thousand calories a day. That would mean I'd gain a little over a pound every day I'm in the Capitol and would enter the arena with at least 10 pounds to work with. I load up my plate with rice, salmon, some weird green mush that an attendant says I must try, sauce, and vegetables.

When I turn to find a seat, I notice the careers have placed together a few of the tables. They eat, laugh, arm wrestle, holler. I'm not sure if it is all an act to make their presence known with the other tributes or if they are naturally like this. I side with the former cause a few times I notice one or two of them stop with the act but then someone nudges them and they go right back to being loud.

Most of the other tributes sit alone or with their district partner. Tansy sits with the pair from 5 and I notice the two from 12 have joined the two from 11. Alliances have already begun to form and at rather quick speeds. Going this alone might not be the best option for the start of the games.

Through my knowledge of previous games, I know sticking in an alliance is risky as the tributes dwindle down. Usually, it is the career alliance that makes it that far but sometimes it is an alliance made up of less skilled tributes but the result is always the same. When only a few people are left, the group suddenly turns on itself and takes out member after member.

I had a theory called the ladder of power. Basically, I believed that alliances were formed to take out the stronger members. This is why we can trust an alliance to start with because people have banded together to eliminate their threats. But say there was an alliance between Districts 7, 8, and 9 being lead by the female from 8. In the games, they have no problem since the careers are the strongest players but once the careers are killed off then the female from 8 is the strongest player in the game. She is the biggest threat now. So the alliance would turn on her and kill her since her death would improve their chances of winning even if she was in an alliance with them. They would eventually have to fight her. Like the careers, it is better to fight the strongest person with a crowd rather than yourself.

So maybe forming an alliance with someone would be beneficial. I'd leave before the biggest threats were taken out so I wouldn't have to worry about being turned on but for the first few days, I'd have people watching my back. There is already a pair I might be able to get with.

I move towards the tributes from 10 who sit side by side at a table, laughing and talking about some story involving someone riding a bull. Why would someone ever try riding a bull?

"Hey," I say, "may I sit?"

Helen ad Drayton look at each other, communicating with subtle gestures and eye movements.

"Sure," Helen says.

I take my seat, digging into the pile of food on my plate. Seeming even larger than Drayton's – who is much bigger than I am – pile of food.

"That's a lot," Drayton mumbles.

"Gaining some fat before the games is beneficial. It means you can last longer with low amounts of food," I tell them.

They both give an expression as if they never thought of that. A light bulb turning on.

I don't bother with the slow and steady plan to form friendships that will evolve into alliances. I only have today and then the tributes will be kept separated except for a few hours here and there which will not be enough time. I get right to it. "Would you be up for an alliance with me?"

Helen is quick to answer, almost expecting it. "It's funny how your district partner is hanging with the two from 5 and now you are forming an alliance with us." I can hear the suspicion in her voice.

I can only be honest here. "We made an agreement that we would want the other to win if we couldn't win ourself. I think that is an agreement any district partner would make but we aren't working together. She doesn't want me because, as she put it, 'it doesn't fit her game.' She is with the two from 5 to share in the sponsors they will likely get."

I glance over at the group. The male from 5 is short but stocky. I've seen him lift weights in the training room, he is strong. The girl is a bit timider and innocent but she is deadly with an axe.

"How are we suppose to believe you?" Drayton counters.

"What purpose does it serve for us to make alliances with tributes from two different districts?" I ask, "we don't know the arena we are going into so not like we could plan to meet up. In the bloodbath it is too dangerous and too quick to really do anything. Plus we are separated with people from another district who would outnumber us two to one in the alliance. So what plan would come from it that would harm you?"

Helen and Drayton come up short. Unable to answer the question.

"I was planning to go in solo but there are too many alliances forming. We have the careers, Tansy and the 5's, and then the pairs from 11 and 12." I say, "plus whatever district partners have made a pact to stick together. So I am not beginning an ultimate scheme, I'm simply trying to survive."

This gets the ball rolling and eventually I win them over. We talk about our strengths and weaknesses. Drayton is strong and a good fighter since he had to work with larger animals back in 10 but he has trouble at surviving in the wilderness. Helen is the opposite. She doesn't know how to fight but knows a lot about healing and surviving the wild. I top it off the extra skills. How to build a fire, find water, and my smarts – which seems to be quite valuable to them. They had planned to just enter the arena together and hope for the best but by the end of our meal, we have a plan. At the bloodbath, we will rush in. Drayton will keep watch well Helen and I grab bags. Once things get too bad we flee, find water, ride it out well moving periodically so we don't bore the audiences and bring on a gamemaker attack.

We are called back to the gym and I stand, finding Tansy's eyes trained on me and my new alliance. She walks up to me as we are all pooling back to the gym.

"The pair from 5 are suspicious of me now. I told them you were a loner. They think I am a liar now and playing them." She whispers.

I remember when I came to her for help. How she shut me down every time. "Figure it out yourself," I say.

The last few hours of training I circle between survival skills, knife training, and messing around with a spear. Mostly, I watch the other tributes. The female from 1, Radiance, is skilled with swords but not much else. The male from 2 is deadly with almost everything but when it comes to survival or agility he falters. The two from 3 are smart and breeze through anything that doesn't involve a weapon. The alliance of tributes from 11 and 12 stick together as they work on traps.

When the day ends, I have a pretty good grasp on what the tributes are good and not so good in. I make sure to write them down in my notes and rearrange the list before I go to bed.

I feel new life in me on the third day. I have knowledge, alliances, new found skills. I am stacking up to be a contender in this games but I can not let the audience know that. I must play up the underdog so when I begin to fight my way to the top, the audience is surprised and captivated. That means throwing the scoring today. So despite Elpis's words on doing our best and Brenda, who shows up, telling us in a slurred voice to get high scores, I know I won't do either of those things.

We all sit in the attached room where we ate, waiting for our name to be called. Tribute by tribute, one by one, they leave the room to show off their skills. Afterwards, going back to their room. The room continues to thin out until I hear my name be called.

I stand, walk into the gym. It is odd seeing the large area so empty. To see all the gamemakers watching me carefully. I know I don't want a high score but I don't want something so pitiful that people will laugh at me. I grab a knife and slash at a dummy over and over again. Occasionally I drop it on purpose and fumble around so I don't seem too good. Then go back to slashing the dummy. The time ticks by and my arm gets tired. The human figure is shredded by the time the head gamemaker tells me it is enough. He seems annoyed, tired of watching ten minutes of a tribute swinging a knife.

"You can go," Seneca says.

"Thank you," I reply and walk away, embedding a knife in a nearby dummies shoulder.

* * *

 **So, what do you think of the alliance? Do they have a chance?**

 **What do you think of his plans to play up the underdog?**

 **Don't forget to keep the comments coming!**


	12. Three

I can't help but smile as I shoot up in the elevator. Since I have become a player in this game I have smiled only twice. Once during the Opening Ceremonies and now. Today, I smile because I know I succeeded in my plan. That I am playing this game to my full ability and have just taken a good step forward. I think most other tributes would be crying or mad about the threat of getting such a low score but I will welcome it.

I try to think of Seneca Crane's face as he told me I could go. The annoyance, the tone of his voice. He along with the others felt I had wasted their time with not even bothering to switch it up. Maybe show I can also play around with spears or even just do more moves with a knife. It came off I wasn't presenting my best and they knew that. How could they not? The gamemakers watched me throw spears, build fires, throw knives – which I wasn't the best at but could still get the knife in the wall. I know this will greatly impact my score and I'd be lucky to even get a four.

The doors open and Elpis is right there, dragging me out, talking so fast I can't make anything out.

"How was it, darling? You do good?" Elpis says.

"Yea," I reply. I know when she sees my score she will lose all hope for me but I felt filling her in on my secret might be dangerous. I can't see Elpis being the most secretive person. Heck, I couldn't see anyone in the Capitol being secretive. Every time my prep team makes me over or Elpis and the stylists sit at the table they blabber on about other peoples lives, gossip, and rumours. The last thing I needed was my strategy being talked about in the presence of Tansy or worse, the other tributes escorts.

"What did you show them?" Elpis beams. She stops herself though, reeling her excitement back. "Wait, you can't tell me. It's against the rules."

Elpis tells me she will come fetch me when dinner is ready. I head off to my room and change out of the training outfit. The shower seems tempting so I submerge myself in the running water, finding a button that sprays peppermint scent onto my body.

The only people who I am worried about seeing my score are the ones back home. Valance will have thought I have given up upon seeing a score so low. I'm sure Valance will look for comfort elsewhere since mom will be too deep in morphling dreams to talk and Alleron is never around. There is only one person she could talk to about me who shares her concern. Markos. I've told her how to tell which peacekeeper is him just incase there is an emergency. Always better safe than sorry. She will likely find him out, the two talking about how I scored so low. I know both of them will be disappointed in me. I might be able to give them a hint in the interviews but until then, they would have to think I have given up on my life.

I emerge from the shower and change into comfortable clothing. Baggy pants with a sleeveless shirt. I hear the knock on my door and know it is time to eat.

The table is full of my team once again. Elpis, Tansy, our mentors and stylists. I am surprised Tigris and Manolius get to accompany us so much. They only really needed for our costumes in the parade and then outfits in the interviews and nothing else. But these people were all doing their best to help keep me alive so if they wanted to talk during dinner, I wouldn't say no.

We are served a feast as always. Orange soup, bread slices with a red mixture on top, steak with onions and potatoes, then a large chocolate cake with raspberry sauce. I make sure to take a few extra slices of the cake since it tastes amazing.

"How was your training sessions?" Caliper mumbles. I can see he is getting better. He still has the dark circles around his eyes but the colour of his skin seems more alive. Unlike that grossly pale shade it took on during the first few days.

"Good," I say. Not really wanting to seem too excited about it since I know it was far from good.

"I just threw around some weapons till they said I could go," Tansy replies.

"Well, I am proud of you both," Elpis says.

The conversation goes back to just the adults. Manolius tells a rumour about how he heard some tribute accidentally set fire to the gym during his private session last year. Everyone gets a good laugh about this. By then the recap is on.

We all move to the sitting room to watch the scores. Each tribute earns a number between one and twelve. One basically meaning the tribute will be the first person dead in the games and twelve meaning they are astoundingly good. Ceaser opens with a few comments about what he thinks of each tribute and then he starts. The tributes face is shown and then a number beneath them. Most of the careers earn between eight and ten. I don't think I have ever seen someone get more than a ten before.

It reaches the tributes from 6. I am giving a score of three well Tansy earns a seven. The crowd around us congratulates Tansy and smiles, ignoring my pitiful score. Though Tigris does give me a pat on the shoulder.

The program continues. Helen gets a five but Drayton gets an eight. The rest ranging between four and eight. Ceaser gives a few more comments and then the program is done.

It's hard not to smile at my score. It is low but not so low I will be disregarded. The three I got from training is perfect.

* * *

 **So almost to the games. I'm going to do 1 chapter for interview prep/interviews and then 1 chapter for him going to the arena and preparing for it then we will be starting the games!**


End file.
